What is a forklift? Well, for those of you who are in the construction industry, the answer is obvious! However, for ordinary people like you and I, the term may sound somewhat familiar, but we have no clear idea of its definition, right? So what exactly is a forklift anyway? (sometimes also called forklift truck). Well, it's a powered industrial truck used to lift and transport materials by means of steel forks inserted under the load. Loads stored on pallets are usually moved by forklifts. The forklift was developed in the 1920's by various companies (including the major transmission manufacturing company Clark Material Handling Company, as well as hoist company Yale Materials Handling Corporation. The forklift has since become a very popular and indispensable piece of equipment in many manufacturing and warehousing operations.

There are 4 basic types of forklift trucks:-

1. Diesel powered
2. Electric powered
3. Gasoline powered
4. LP-Gas powered

Since different types of environments call for different types of forklifts, you want to make sure that you're using the *correct* type of forklift for your work area.

Finally, here are some interesting facts about forklifts that you may be interested to know:-

1. They are heavyweights! They often weigh more than a car or a light truck,
2. They are power-packed! A forklift is extremely powerful,
3. Forklifts use rear wheel steering,
4. Maximum maneuverability - can turn in a tighter circle than most vehicles!